The Lion Above the Door

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It’s great to have some representation for children of colour to see in mainstream middle grade books. Leo, a boy living in the UK but of Singaporean descent, cannot see anyone who looked like him when studying World War 2- all the names sound like British royalty, and he feels like his ancestry are lesser to his classmates.

She is an award-winning and best-selling author of books for children that tackle the issues of today. His parents, his friends at school, his teachers, he would have a not-so-great interaction with them and then would immediately be down about them. He doesn't seem to have any other interests apart from finding this Leo guy (does he not have any other hobbies? Inside is a wall dedicated to soldiers from all over the former British Empire and included there is his exact name, along with many others – some sharing Sangeeta’s surname, Singh. A story that deals with racism, and the lived experiences of many children here in the UK, in a sensitive but insightful way, and delivers a hopeful and inspirational message.I bought this middle grade novel at the start of the year and finally got around to it seven months later. It would also have been nice if Leo found his diary entry where he discussed being left out because of his race, culture etc. On a school visit Leo sees a memorial carved with his name and then begins his journey to discover who this person was and ultimately the role they played in World War II as Malayan fighter pilot over Europe. Leo wants the world to know about this man who shares his name and this book is about his journey to find out about it. Onjali is author of The Lion Above the Door, taking inspiration from Rochester Catheral, and The Boy at the Back of the Class.

The TV series Real Kidz Rule Remembrance Day competition seems exactly the right forum to tell these forgotten heroes’ stories. I really enjoyed reading The Lion Above the Door and found myself reluctant to put it down when I had to do other things. However, on a school trip to a cathedral Leo uncovers his name emblazoned on the list of World War Two heroes. Then, on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo’s attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Rauf keeps it light but goes deep, drilling down into how Leo feels about his own father’s seeming appeasement of a tormenter.I can definitely see the target age-range struggle to continue reading, especially in the earlier chapters. Leo and his best friend Sangeeta are the only ones that look different to everyone else in their school. The book would be perfect for upper KS2 children and the author richly describes her characters so much so that you can imagine them in the classroom, from Olivia who the class is in awe of due to her 'no mess' attitude, to Mr Scott, the classroom teacher who constantly thumps on the desk to emphasise his point. Leo's first-person narration is appealing and so endearing in its innocent truthfulness, even as Raúf threw themes of family and family history, cultural underrepresentation, contemporary and historical racism, perseverance, courage, and teamwork his way, but all with a sensitive hand and a combination of seriousness and humor. I love how they change the school assembly a bit and Olivia strays from the plans and shows her different skin patches.

But as Leo's dad is always telling him, it's only because he's extra special, and Sangeetha is extra, extra special. However it would also be a fantastic vehicle for discussing with children the way people are treated and the casual racism found too often in schools. It would have been good to see some surprising or imaginative scenes in the book that would have maintained the readers engagement. Only thing is, if they're so special, how come they never see anyone who looks like them in their school history books? As part of a school trip they visit a cathedral ,where Leo spots his own full name on a war memorial on the door.But when Leo discovers a plaque to an airman who shares his name, the friends join battle against limited internet access, bullies and the historical downplaying of the roles of people from all over the globe in the second world war. Rauf is the founder of Making Herstory, an organisation mobilising men, women and children from all walks of life to tackle the abuse and trafficking of women and girls in the UK and beyond. Leo's class is studying WWII and on a school visit to a museum and a cathedral is where Leo notices his name (full name) above a memorial.